A burglar who was part of a gang which carried out a number of nighttime raids at village stores in Suffolk has been jailed for 32 months.
Scott Hyam was one of three men who smashed their way into business premises in Reydon, Shotley, Grundisburgh and Great Blakenham on October 25 and stole items including cigarettes and alcohol, Ipswich Crown Court heard.
Jailing Hyam, Judge Rupert Overbury said the village stores had clearly been targeted because they were seen as an “easy option” at night.
He described the break-ins as a “complete invasion of people’s privacy and security” and said the offences had caused considerable damage and fear.
Judge Overbury said Hyam had a history of committing offences while subject to court orders including a community order and a suspended sentence.
“That demonstrates you have absolutely no regard for court orders,” said the judge.
Hyam, 32, of Ramsgate Drive, Ipswich, admitted burglary with intent to steal, making off without payment, breach of a suspended sentence order and failing to comply with the requirements of post custodial supervision.
He also asked for 16 offences, including four burglaries and seven attempted burglaries, to be taken into consideration.
Juliet Donovan, prosecuting, said that on October 24 Hyam was one of three men who drove off without paying for £39 of petrol from a petrol station in Coddenham.
In the early hours of October 25 the men, including Hyam, were seen on CCTV using a piece of concrete to smash the door of Barbrooks Store in Reydon and stealing boxes of cigarettes.
On the same night the gang also committed a series of burglaries and attempted burglaries at Shotley Post Office, Budgens at Great Blakenham and the Olde Forge store in Grundisburgh.
Miss Donovan told the court that on January 5, 2017, Hyam had been involved in a number of burglaries and attempted burglaries at buildings in the grounds of the Royal Hospital School at Holbrook causing a considerable amount of damage.
Kelly Fernandez-Lee for Hyam said the offences had been committed after her client had been drinking.
She said that since he had been in custody he had been the subject of a detox care plan.
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